In the last year of the grant we have expanded our previous studies on the mechanisms of the adaptive response to long-term malnutrition. Our results suggest that the cyclical changes in polyamine metabolism observed during the adaptive response are preceded by cyclical changes in nucleolar DNA-dependent RNA polymerase. These results coupled with our previous data showing that nucleolar DNa synthesis is increased during malnutrition strongly suggest that an increase in nucleolar activity plays a key role in the process of adaptation to malnutrition.